Contract awarded on 1 July 1956 to the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y. Laid down 14 September 1957, launched 8 October 1960, commissioned 27 October 1961. Reclassified as a "Multi-Purpose Aircraft Carrier" (CV-64) on 30 June 1975. Decommissioned 7 August 2003. Struck from the Navy List on 2 December 2003.

Status: Stricken, to be disposed of, type of disposal not known (Maintenance Category X). NAVSEA Inactive Ships On-site Maintenance Office, Bremerton, WA. In April 2004 Navy officials identified ex-Constellation as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as artificial reefs. As of February 2008, however, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years.

Best MomentI worked in the bomb elevator shop for the 9 months when we were in the yard......learned to hate chipping,sanding, and painting. Was happy after that to go to the missile shop.

Worst MomentWhen loading Bullpup C missiles, the track that the chain fall was hooked to, broke and we dropped the missile. It was scary to say the lest. Then the navy hearing after , but it turned out the track had some bad welding so we found not at fault.